Jonjo Shelvey hits back at Newcastle United critics claiming he is 'lazy'

Stand-in captain Shelvey often divides opinion among the Magpies fanbase, however has no such problem with head coach Steve Bruce.

The 29-year-old is one of the first names on the teamsheet – starting the last 15 Premier League games in the United’s battle against the drop.

During the club’s latest edition of Zoom Army, the former England international was asked by a supporter “why are you so lazy?”

Shelvey was quick to insist that the stats are arguing otherwise. He said: “I think I give off this impression with my body language by the way I run or the way I am. I’m quite a laidback character.

"It might look like that but the stats say different and as long as I’m doing it and it’s being recorded and everything is monitored – you can’t get away with not running.

"I know it might not seem like I’m not running or I’m lazy or whatever but the stats are saying different, so I’m just going to continue to do what I’m doing.

"If I’m going to be honest, I’d take not running at all and win the game comfortably – keep the ball and play possession football but you can’t get away with anything these days.

"You need to roll your sleeves up and run and I feel like that’s what the stats say I’m doing. As long as the stats say I’m doing it, the proof is there in writing.”

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